Chapter 24

If he can't fight, then he will run.

Compared to his own life, everything else is insignificant.

Zhuang Mingyuan never expected that a mere apprentice demon hunter would be a先天武者 (a martial artist of the innate realm).

This matter was completely beyond his expectations.

He even suspected that the Demon Suppression Bureau had long noticed something amiss in Lin'an City and deliberately sent a玄阶 demon hunter (Xuan-stage demon hunter) to pretend to be an apprentice, just to lower their guard.

"It's impossible!"

"That battle left the Demon Suppression Bureaus across the regions with heavy losses. How could they have the resources to station a Xuan-stage demon hunter in a small place like Lin'an City—"

Even at the beginning, he had some doubts about whether the Demon Suppression Bureau still had the resources.

But in reality, in Zhuang Mingyuan's mind, the Demon Suppression Bureau was simply unable to spare any hands at the moment.

Therefore, when he sent out false information, he only wanted to lure a few apprentice demon hunters to their deaths.

After all, apprentice demon hunters who could come out to complete their assessment tasks were generally at the initial stage of the Meridian Channeling realm, not weak but also not too strong, just right for the Blood Soul to consume and advance.

Looking at the martial world, apart from the Demon Suppression Bureau, which could have a large number of Meridian Channeling martial artists, it would not be easy for ordinary sects to produce a few Meridian Channeling martial artists.

Moreover, martial artists in the martial world were deeply wary of demons and evil spirits, and would not dare to approach them easily.

Even if news of demons and evil spirits in Lin'an City spread, those martial artists would not come to slay the demons and eliminate the evil.

Therefore, the hope for the Blood Soul's advancement fell on the Demon Suppression Bureau.

However—

The Demon Suppression Bureau only sending an apprentice demon hunter was indeed somewhat beyond Zhuang Mingyuan's expectations.

But this also indirectly proved that the Demon Suppression Bureau was indeed lacking in strong individuals.

In this case, even if an apprentice demon hunter was not enough to make the Blood Soul advance, he could let the Blood Soul consume more lives without worrying about the Demon Suppression Bureau immediately sending strong individuals to suppress it.

But no matter how much Zhuang Mingyuan calculated, he made one mistake.

That was Shen Changqing's strength.

He could never have imagined that an apprentice demon hunter would be so powerful.

At this moment, Zhuang Mingyuan knew without a doubt that the Blood Soul in Guyue Village must have died at the hands of the other party.

A martial artist of the innate realm was not something an ordinary Yin-stage monster could handle. To slay an innate martial artist, at least a Yuanyang-stage monster would need to act.

Zhuang Mingyuan fled without hesitation.

But Shen Changqing had noticed his movements from the start and immediately pursued him the moment he fled.

He had not practiced lightness techniques.

After all, one's energy was limited, and in a year, he had to focus on cultivating the Pure Yang Technique, the Seven Kill Sword Technique, and the Iron Sand Palm, leaving no extra time to study lightness techniques.

However, even without lightness techniques, Shen Changqing's current strength made his speed as swift as a ghost.

The two quickly disappeared from the yamen, one after the other.

Immediately, the scene fell silent.

Several bailiffs held torches, their faces complex as they looked at Zhao Fang, who stood there with a deathly pale face, and the dirty head of Zhang Long on the ground, unsure of what to do.

Capture the traitor!?

But Zhao Fang, after all, was an official of the court, and they had served under him for many years.

If they let him escape, they dared not do so.

If Shen Changqing returned and found Zhao Fang gone, they, as mere bailiffs, could not bear such a sin.

As they hesitated, Zhao Fang looked at them and calmly waved his hand, "Go back, there's no need to worry. I will wait for Lord Shen to return here."

"Zhao—" someone opened his mouth, wanting to say something but not knowing how to address him.

"Go!"

Zhao Fang waved his hand and turned to walk towards the inner hall.

At that moment, he seemed to have aged several decades.

Seeing Zhao Fang's沧桑 (weathered) and lonely back, the few people had complex expressions but did not say anything more.

"Go!"

"Let's all go back—"

Soon, the originally bustling yamen became quiet.

But the commotion had already caught the attention of the surrounding civilians. However, due to the curfew, few dared to leave their homes after dark.

On the other side, Zhuang Mingyuan and Shen Changqing were racing towards the city outskirts, one after the other.

In terms of speed, Zhuang Mingyuan was indeed very fast.

But as a martial artist of the innate realm, Shen Changqing's speed was not slow at all. Except for the initial distance, the gap between them was now gradually closing.

When the two were less than ten feet apart, Shen Changqing struck a palm in the air, the powerful palm wind sweeping like a heat wave, causing the surrounding temperature to rise sharply.

Sensing the threat from behind, Zhuang Mingyuan instinctively turned and struck a palm.

Boom—

The two palm winds collided in the air. Zhuang Mingyuan, being much weaker, was immediately knocked to the ground.

Immediately, Qin Shujian's long sword slashed out, aiming for Zhuang Mingyuan's head.

"Don't kill me, I can tell you a secret—" Zhuang Mingyuan screamed in terror, the cold blade getting closer and closer, finally stopping at his neck.

The icy coldness made Zhuang Mingyuan feel an indescribable fear.

Although he disregarded others' lives, he was extremely protective of his own.

Or rather, most people who had joined demons and evil spirits were extremely protective of their lives.

If they were not, they would not have joined demons and evil spirits.

Shen Changyuan's long sword steadily rested on the other party's shoulder, close to his neck: "Speak, what secret? If I find out you are lying, death will be too simple for you.

I'm sure you have heard of the Demon Suppression Prison.

If a person like you is imprisoned in the Demon Suppression Prison, your fate will be worse than death."

Demon Suppression Prison!

Hearing these three words, Zhuang Mingyuan's face turned pale.

How could he not have heard of the Demon Suppression Prison?

It was a crucial place of the Demon Suppression Bureau, where countless powerful demons and evil spirits were imprisoned, never to escape.

It was said that the Demon Suppression Prison was a place of no return for demons and evil spirits.

However, although Zhuang Mingyuan was terrified, he was not stupid, so he tried to remain calm.

"I can tell you, but you must swear by the name of the Demon Suppression Bureau that after you learn the secret, you will let me leave unharmed and not harm my life!"

"Are you threatening me?"

"How dare I, I am just trying to secure a chance to survive."

Seeing Zhuang Mingyuan's determined look, Shen Changqing raised an eyebrow slightly.

"Fine, I swear by the name of the Demon Suppression Bureau that if the secret you tell me is valuable, I will let you go unharmed!"